This invention is directed to a system and apparatus for containing and dispensing medical preparations in a prearranged order.
Prior art devices and systems of this type are known, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,080 which provides a dosage-indicating pill tray having individual compartments for holding pills. Such trays are arranged in rectangular formats having a plurality of columns and rows with indicia adjacent each column indicating the day of the week, and indicia adjacent the rows indicating the time of day that the medication in each compartment is to be taken. The appropriate dosage is placed inside each compartment corresponding to the appropriate day of the week and time of the day at which said dosage is to be taken.
Another type prior art device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,422 discloses a dispenser intended for persons who for long periods of time must take several types of medicaments. For example, such a person may require one type of tablet once a day, another type of tablet at meals, and perhaps a third type of tablet at night. The above-discussed type device provides a dispenser body divided into a plurality of compartments arranged in seven rows, one for each weekday, and four consecutive compartments in each row, for instance for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and supper. Each compartment includes corresponding indicia showing the type and prescribed dosage of the medication or other preparation.
These prior art devices have in common the disadvantage that there is no provision for ensuring that the correct pill and dosage be placed in the correct compartment on a day to day basis. Thus, with the prior art devices a patient could easily place either the wrong medication or dosage in an incorrect compartment possibly creating serious medical complications. As the population grows older, the possibility of geriatric confusion and mistake becomes greater. Thus, there is a need for a more fool-proof system.